The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported US rail traffic for the week ending 4 January 2025. For this week, total US weekly rail traffic was 421 410 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.0% compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending January 4 were 198 500 carloads, down 4.6% compared with the same week in 2024, while US weekly intermodal volume was 222 910 containers and trailers, up 6.6% compared to 2024.
Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. They included chemicals, up 2664 carloads, to 31 747; petroleum and petroleum products, up 919 carloads, to 10 852; and forest products, up 156 carloads, to 8006. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2024 included coal, down 5075 carloads, to 56 471; motor vehicles and parts, down 2987 carloads, to 6448; and metallic ores and metals, down 2 455 carloads, to 17 631.
For the first week of 2025, US railroads reported cumulative volume of 198 500 carloads, down 4.6% from the same point last year; and 222 910 intermodal units, up 6.6% from last year. Total combined US traffic for the first week of 2025 was 421 410 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 1.0% compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending 4 January 2025, on 9 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railroads totalled 289 826 carloads, down 5.1% compared with the same week last year, and 292 942 intermodal units, up 5.2% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 582 768 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.2%. North American rail volume for the first week of 2025 was 582 768 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.2% compared with 2024.
Canadian railroads reported 80 417 carloads for the week, down 6.1%, and 61 767 intermodal units, up 3.8% compared with the same week in 2024. For the first week of 2025, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 142 184 carloads, containers and trailers, down 2.0%. Mexican railroads reported 10 909 carloads for the week, down 7.8% compared with the same week last year, and 8265 intermodal units, down 16.8%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first week of 2025 was 19 174 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 11.9% from the same point last year.
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